


Down the white river

by MyLadyDay



Series: Dragons, love and other oddities [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: A sky of glass side story, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Chef!Thatch, First Meetings, Knight!Izou, M/M, Premonitions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-23 01:57:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8309362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyLadyDay/pseuds/MyLadyDay
Summary: Izou hadn’t thought of the oracle and her weird premonition in over a decade.





	1. Death and the river

**Author's Note:**

> Set after chapter 2 of A sky of glass.

In all honesty, until it was brought up at Marco’s coronation, Izou hadn’t thought of the oracle and her weird premonition in over a decade and thinking about _that_ certainly made him feel old all of a sudden. Ever since the coronation, though, he couldn’t stop thinking about it again and the fact that Marco made himself scarce, as much as a person in his position possibly could, only left Izou with more time to dwell and wander around the palace aimlessly because Marco failed to give them anything specific to do.

He’d been at it for close to two weeks, now that he had no official business to attend to. It should have been worrisome that Marco disappeared for every moment of his free time, including most mornings until well after breakfast, but they all knew he was still in the palace somewhere. He was safe and probably unwinding from everything he had to deal with while taking care of official business. Izou had been present for most of said business so he couldn’t really blame Marco, either. People were idiots more often than not.

It only left Izou more frustrated, though. He could remember the oracle’s words perfectly, like anyone in his situation would, but he was no closer to making any sense of them. At times, he was sure she had been vague on purpose just to mess with them. After all, they had barged into her home armed to the teeth, loud and obnoxious and so awfully annoying. Izou hadn’t seen it back then, but as he grew older, he realized they’d all behaved just like the young recruits, full of themselves and unaware of pretty much anything from the outside world.

The oracle was awfully annoyed when she’d told them their futures and he couldn’t blame her one bit, despite the calm facade she’d put up. At least that’s what it looked like to him now that he thought back to it, but after all the time that had passed, Izou couldn’t claim anything for sure.  

Still, it left him confused and now that he was reminded of the whole ordeal of meeting an actual oracle, Izou wanted to know what exactly was in store for him. He was more than a little concerned too, though who wouldn’t be when there was a mention of death.

“A white river brings you both love and death,” she’d said serenely, looking at him with those huge spooky eyes of hers. He could remember like it had been only yesterday, but with words like those, it was no wonder he refused to think about it for so long. “You will embrace one of them and the other will make you its prisoner for eternity.”

She hadn’t looked at him with sympathy, though. Whether it was because she didn’t feel it or because there was more to it, Izou couldn’t tell. That, at least, he knew was on purpose. If he’d been meant to figure it out easily, she would have spoken more plainly.

Well, running her words through his head made it obvious that he wasn’t as confused about the meaning as much as he was worried about it. The white river was what confounded him. Was it a literal river or was it more of a symbolic kind? He’d never heard of a white river, perhaps he should have searched through the library to find where this river was. If his death was coming for him there, he’d make sure to avoid it at any and all cost.

He may have been getting older, but he still had a lot ahead of him, most of which revolved around the honor Marco showed him by naming him captain of his guard.

And yet he’d been spending his free time wandering around the palace, partially to get to know the place inside and out, but mostly because he was restless beyond belief and walking relaxed him like nothing else seemed to. So far he’d scared several maids half to death, though, as he moved through the various halls and rooms without making a sound.

His thoughts were interrupted, like they usually tended to, when he wandered into the halls near the kitchens, close enough to smell whatever it was they were preparing for breakfast. It was enough to sidetrack him and make him forget what bothered him for a while, like it usually did, now that he knew just how good the new kitchen staff was even if he’d yet to meet any of them properly. Izou could feel himself growing hungrier the longer he stood there, focusing on that more than the words that hadn’t let him rest in days.

He found himself staring wistfully towards the source of the smell, wondering whether he could get away with sneaking in and stealing some food for once. Could it even be considered stealing if some of that food was technically meant for him anyway? No, it could not. That was a good enough answer for him and he started down the hall, towards the nearest entrance he knew. The kitchens were a maze he hadn’t figured out just yet, mostly because he hadn’t managed to go in. The area was always filled to the brim with staff and food and everyone was so busy, the last thing he wanted was to disturb anyone while they were trying to do their job.

For some reason, there was always someone in there, no matter the time of day or night, working on something and he put off exploring this part of the palace for the time being. Still, he was sure he could at least sneak in to grab a plate of something before he was seen.

Thinking up a plan was easier than he thought, given what little information he had about the space just inside the door he was heading for, but it also turned out to be a tactical error.

Lost in the planning, Izou hadn’t noticed the girl rounding the corner just as he was too, not until she yelped and smacked face first into his chest, dropping the massive jug she’d been carrying. He caught her by her shoulders, stopping her from toppling over, but it was too late for the jug that shattered with an impressively loud sound, the milk that was inside it sloshing out, over the dark stone floor and his boots. It even managed to spray his pants above the boots and the hem of his cloak.

The girl was bright red when he looked down towards her, stammering out an excuse as she stepped away from him and immediately headed down the hall while mumbling something about a mop. Izou was staring after her, beyond confused and a bit startled himself, though he wouldn’t admit it for fear of the others finding out he almost literally ran over a kitchen worker because he was thinking about how to steal food.

“What the hell is going on?” a voice shouted, startling Izou again, though he decided to pretend it never happened.

He looked up to see someone emerging from the same door he was heading towards, just around the corner where he’d bumped into that girl. A head of brown hair came out first and the man’s body followed, eyes immediately turned up towards Izou and he was so gorgeous, Izou couldn’t stop staring, not even to remember that there was practically a literal river of milk between them and the man obviously didn’t see.

Izou, though, was drawing a blank, distracted by a pretty face and the most beautiful blue eyes he’d ever seen that he, embarrassingly so, couldn’t think of anything else and not even a moment later, the man slipped. That beautiful face morphed into one of absolute surprise as he screamed a little, slipping further as he tried to catch something for balance.

Izou finally snapped out of his creepy staring, stepping forward to catch the man and succeeding only in slipping as well, hands latching onto the first thing he could reach. For a brief moment, he was triumphant.

Then the man fell, making it obvious Izou had not caught him after all, his back hitting the wet floor with a loud squelch, droplets of milk spraying Izou’s face where he was doubled over in an effort to keep his balance. A look down to his arms led to the discovery that he’d been clinging rather firmly to a half plucked dead chicken while the beautiful man Izou normally wouldn’t mind having underneath him lay completely stunned and slack jawed in a puddle of milk on the cold floor.

It was the absolutely wrong time to have a moment of clarity, remembering how Vista’s own premonition was a thinly veiled innuendo even if it had originally sounded ominous, because a river of spilled milk has brought him a dead chicken and the most gorgeous person Izou had the pleasure of seeing and wasn’t that the most ridiculous explanation the oracle’s words could have had.

The man, though, and Izou really needed to ask for a name soon, was looking less confused and more angry with each passing second. Izou still enjoyed the view, but he didn’t want the meeting to end in anger.

“What,” the man said, voice awfully level and calm and so at odds with the expression on his face. His gaze flickered down to Izou’s chest, undoubtedly seeing the pin that gave away his role in court, but instead of an expression of fear that Izou was growing used to seeing, the man frowned then looked back up with a glare.

Izou said nothing yet, though, only offered his hand to help him up because lying in a puddle couldn’t have been comfortable. Somewhat reluctantly, the man took it and with some effort, Izou managed to help him up. What he hadn’t managed, though, was thinking of something to say and the longer he stared silently, the worse he thought the encounter might end.

No words came to mind, though, and it was unbelievable. Izou, at a loss for words. Marco would laugh at him if he knew.

“Head chef! I’m so sorry, it was my fault, I’ll clean it up immediately!”

Izou’s head snapped to the side, eyes immediately on the girl he’d collided with, looking more embarrassed than she had before. He was more stunned by her words, though, because the man he’d managed to pine over in the mere minutes since first seeing him was the famous head chef.

The same head chef that huffed before grabbing a hold of the chicken Izou was still clinging to, which was definitely gross and he knew he’d be disgusted by it later, pulling it out of Izou’s hands.

“You should clean yourself up before breakfast, captain,” he said once Izou looked at him, before dragging his gaze from Izou’s eyes all the way down his body. Izou felt his face going hot, which was new in itself.

Next thing he knew, the chef was walking away with the damn chicken in his hand, back into the kitchen from where he'd walked out earlier, and Izou only had a moment to realize he'd somehow missed whatever else was said.

As far as first impressions went, this was a pretty bad one and Izou was inclined to cringe, had he not been standing next to that girl, who seemed intent on avoiding his gaze. Without a second thought, Izou turned and left, hurrying towards his room to change and, instead of dwelling on the premonition any longer now that it seemed to be solved, Izou did his best to find a way how to fix the godawful first impression he’d left on the chef, whose name he definitely needed to find out as soon as possible.


	2. Cinnamon rolls

Marco had been visibly skeptical when the matter came up, but Izou put that aside for the time being and focused on what was really important. He'd finally learned the head chef's name, from Marco himself. It was, admittedly, a small victory in the grand scheme of things, but it was a victory nonetheless.

At least until days went by and Izou didn't so much as catch a glimpse of Thatch. Obviously, he was still there, doing his job as per usual considering he was the only person that cooked for Marco, but no matter how often Izou sneaked about the halls around the kitchens, there was no spotting the man. Izou was starting to suspect he either had the ability to teleport or he lived in the damn kitchen.

Of course, the way his luck had been going when it came to the infamous head chef, it was almost to be expected that he'd realize he had no plan whatsoever for when he met Thatch, until that actually happened.

"Why are you sneaking around my kitchens, captain?" Thatch asked, his arms crossed as he gave Izou a look stern enough to drive fear into most of the troops. "You've scared my staff half to death already."

For a moment, all Izou could do was stare and flounder, trying to think of something that wouldn't sound creepy.

"I was hoping to see you again," Izou said finally, after less thinking than he'd have liked.

The words made him cringe inwardly, but that didn't stop Izou from noticing that Thatch looked momentarily stunned. Maybe even a bit embarrassed, but Izou may have also been projecting his own feelings at the moment.

Either way, they were left standing in the hall, staring at each other without uttering a word. It was perhaps a bad moment to notice Thatch was shorter than him, but only a little. It was oddly attractive for some reason, as was the slight blush rising to Thatch's face. Not a moment later, though, Thatch cleared his throat and looked into Izou's eyes, his brows creased.

"Will you stop scaring my staff now that you've seen me, then?" he asked.

"I'm not scaring them on purpose," Izou said, sputtering in indignation because that really wasn't his intention. It wasn't his fault he scowled a lot while lost in thought, though it was problematic that he hadn't even noticed people pass him by while he sneaked around the halls. "I only started coming here to map out the entire palace and get familiar with it."

"That doesn't change the fact that it still happens," Thatch told him, though the strict scowl gave way to a more contemplating look. "Will you stop sneaking about if I let you into my kitchen?"

It wasn't the reply he was expecting, but Izou found himself excited at the prospect of actually getting inside, with Thatch of all people for company. There was no helping the grin that he could feel breaking out on his face and in turn, he hadn't failed to notice the small smile that appeared on Thatch's face as a result.

"You look like a puppy," he said, making Izou gasp indignantly, but he said nothing because Thatch was already speaking again. "I'm Thatch," he said, offering a hand to shake.

"Izou," was all Izou could say, still debating whether he was embarrassed, insulted or happy about being called a puppy. Well, if it had been anyone else, he'd have probably been insulted, but the way he was already smitten with this man he didn't even know properly made it difficult to be mad.

"Follow me, then," Thatch said with a nod before he turned towards the nearest door and Izou hurried to follow.

The other staff inside the room was looking at them curiously, but Thatch paid them no mind and Izou did the same, glancing around only to find and memorize all the possible entry or exit points. It would come in handy for later, when he'd go over the palace blueprints.

Thatch was leading the way through the big kitchen filled with cooks and towards an archway in the back. From where they were, it looked like another kitchen to Izou, but he opted for following in silence, only turning away from Thatch to look at their surroundings. The longer they walked, though, the harder it became to ignore the curiosity of those around them. Izou wasn’t bothered per se, he’d gotten used to people staring when he stood next to Marco, but it was different now that he knew he’d been scaring at least some of these people.

Before he could give it more thought, however, they’ve reached their destination and walked through the arch into a smaller kitchen. Thatch immediately grabbed the nearest bowl from the kitchen island and started mixing whatever was inside, while Izou stood behind him awkwardly. He definitely wasn’t used to being awkward around anyone and yet it happened every time he’d been in Thatch’s presence so far.

“Sit down, captain,” Thatch said, pointing at the high stool next to the island, only glancing at Izou to give him a smile so small, Izou wasn’t entirely sure it was even there.

“Call me Izou,” he replied distractedly, as he turned to take a seat. “Not that I’m complaining, but what am I doing here?”

“You wanted to see my kitchens,” Thatch told him, still mixing whatever was in the bowl, but he turned towards Izou as soon as he sat down. “This is where I cook for the king and his guard,” he added, motioning around with the wooden spoon.

“You only cook for us?” Izou asked before he could stop himself, surprise evident in his voice.

“Yes,” Thatch said. “The other cooks handle everything else under my supervision, but I only cook personally for the six of you unless the king adds someone else into his closest circle.”

“I doubt that will happen any time soon,” Izou said, more to himself than to Thatch, because he knew marriage was the last thing on Marco’s mind at the moment. Not to mention his preferences, which didn’t include teenage girls from noble houses.

Thatch looked as if he was about to speak, but the ding of an oven drew his attention and he set the bowl down again as he moved behind Izou, coming back a few moments later with a large tray of cinnamon rolls. Izou didn’t have to see them to know, the smell that reached him as soon as Thatch walked by heavenly enough to let him know what Thatch was carrying.

His eyes were trained on the tray like a hawk’s as soon as Thatch set it down on the island in front of Izou, which was probably the reason he missed the look Thatch was giving him.

“They need to cool off a bit before you can eat them,” Thatch said and Izou didn’t even need to look up to know there was a smirk on Thatch’s face, which only made Izou’s face grow hot with every passing moment. Along with the embarrassment, the blushing was something Izou only did around Thatch. Honestly, it was probably the only reason he believed the incident was what the oracle foretold.

“I wasn’t going to,” he mumbled, but judging from the laugh Thatch let out as he grabbed his bowl once again, he’d heard Izou’s words.

“I’m sure you weren’t.” He didn’t sound like he believed Izou one bit.

Then he was back to mixing, as if he wasn’t doing things to Izou by just being there.

“Try this for me,” Thatch said suddenly, shoving the spoon in front of Izou’s face until he had no other choice but to try whatever it was he was being offered. “Is it too sweet?”

Izou mumbled a no around a spoonful of something vanilla flavored, shaking his head to get the point across. He seemed to have succeeded, judging from the satisfied look on Thatch’s face.

“What is that?” Izou asked when he could. Thatch was already on the other side of the kitchen island again, with his bowl and a new spoon.

“Frosting for the cinnamon rolls,” Thatch said without turning around.

“Am I your guinea pig now?” Izou asked before he could think better of it and of course Thatch decided to look at him just then, in time to see the beginning of a blush on Izou’s face. He himself couldn’t see it, but his face felt hotter than was normal so it was safe to assume, at any rate.

“Would you like to be?” Thatch asked with a smile that looked like it was concealing something and the question suddenly sounded less innocent than it was probably meant to be.

“Uh,” Izou said intelligently. “Yes?”

The answer, not matter how dubious it sounded, made Thatch grin brightly.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said and Izou couldn’t imagine refusing. “Would you like to have breakfast with me, captain?”

“Definitely,” Izou said, grinning as well. He may have found an easily embarrassed and awkward side of himself when in Thatch’s presence, but at least he was getting an opportunity to actually spend time with Thatch and that was definitely a win.


	3. The beginning

Izou wasn’t sure it surprised him that word spread so fast about him having breakfast with Thatch every morning in the kitchen. People, or at least the rest of the guard, were bound to notice that he wasn’t showing up to eat with them each morning, just like Marco.

Unlike Marco, though, Izou couldn’t avoid the questions and teasing and it was absolutely horrible. He should have been used to it, really, but as he’d learned that day around two weeks ago when he’d met Thatch, this situation was different from any other previous romantic interest he was teased about. It was more than a little embarrassing how Bay seemed to catch on immediately, but the blow to his pride was somewhat softened by the fact that he was spending plenty of time with Thatch each day.

Even though Thatch laughed when Izou told him about it.

“You’re insufferable,” Izou said, even though he was completely enjoying the sight of Thatch laughing like he was, carefree and happy.

“I know,” he replied in between laughs. “But it’s still funny. You know more than half of the palace staff thinks you lot are scary looking? And in reality you’re all just children in disguise.”

“I take offense to that,” Izou said, even though he didn’t. He knew better than anyone else just how childish all of them could be, though he doubted anyone would believe it about Marco.

“I’m sure you do,” Thatch replied before shoving a spoon in front of his face, like he was prone to do. Izou had gotten used to it already. “Try this,” Thatch said, waiting for Izou to taste whatever was on the spoon. He’d stopped asking what he was being offered days ago, knowing it really did nothing because Thatch rarely gave an answer.

At this point, Izou also knew that whatever he was being given was delicious so he didn't really care what it was. He'd started developing a serious sweet tooth though, and the possibility of gaining weight due to eating too many sweets was slightly worrying him at this point. His job didn't really allow for getting out of shape like that.

Still, the chocolate concoction he was trying out now would have been well worth it.

"Amazing as always," he said, licking the chocolate from his lips. "I don't know why you even ask, everything you make is delicious."

As soon as the words were out, Izou could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, which he was actually also getting used to.

"Why, thank you, captain," Thatch said, looking awfully smug. Izou was getting the feeling Thatch liked flustering him, and honestly calling him 'captain' did nothing to help, but Izou didn't really mind when faced with that awfully smug grin. "How very kind of you to say."

"If you're keeping me around for the compliments alone, you should have said so," Izou said. "We don't have to talk, I can just tell you how talented and gorgeous you are and your hair is so amazingly pretty and your goatee is very well maintained and I don't think anyone can make better cinnamon rolls than you."

Thatch was just staring, jaw a bit slack, and Izou couldn't help but feel smug at finally managing to fluster Thatch for once. It didn't last long though, and the shock turned into a brilliant grin that would have made Izou's knees weak if he'd been standing.

"We could do that if you're offering," he said, still grinning happily, but went about his business anyway, preparing whatever it was he was making for the day.

"Well, then I need to think of some new compliments," Izou said, leaning on the kitchen island with his elbow before propping his head on his hand. "I just used up all the obvious ones."

"I'm sure you can handle it," Thatch told him confidently. "I believe in you."

Izou laughed at the words, without a thought spared to how they'd ended up at this point in the conversation. He hadn't really tried flirting with Thatch before, but he was slowly growing more confident that Thatch wouldn't mind if he tried.

"I guess I have something to think about until tomorrow, then," he replied, unable to fight the grin off his face, especially when Thatch laughed again. It really was a truly mesmerizing sound and Izou couldn't help but want to be the cause for it whenever he could.

"Think of something good and I'll make you chocolate cupcakes," Thatch offered with a grin and it was Izou's turn to laugh.

Of course, as was his luck, the moment was broken when someone cleared their throat loudly from the doorway and Izou turned just in time to see Bay grinning far too smugly. Izou barely contained a groan.

"The king has asked for us to join him, captain," she said and Izou knew there was nothing good in store for him as soon as he heard her speak so formally. Who knew how much she'd heard of what he and Thatch spoke about and there was no way she'd let it go ever.

He said nothing as he glared at her and the insufferably smug look on her face, but some of the reluctance must have shown on his face because it was still earlier than when he usually left the kitchens. Probably just to damn him, Thatch turned to him and strolled to his side, leaning down to press a kiss to his cheek, effectively shutting off all thought.

"Don't worry, captain," he said before returning to whatever it was that he'd been doing before Bay interrupted, "I'll be here all day. Feel free to join me again."

At least she looked just as stunned as Izou felt before he said a quick, and rather choked off, goodbye and they were out of the kitchens without him actually noticing any of it.

"You've got it so bad," she said when they were alone in the halls, walking towards Marco's office.

"I know," was the only thing he could say because really, there was no denying in at this point.

"I think he likes you too," she added, not teasing for once. It would have been reassuring from anyone else, but Izou knew it was only a calm before the proverbial storm when it came to her.

"You think?" He absolutely hated how hopeful he sounded.

"It's pretty obvious," she said with a laugh. "Half of the cooks were kind of spying on your two when I walked in. They filled me in on all your flirting and breakfast dates and how adorable you two are."

"Those weren't dates," he protested, though there wasn't much heat behind his words. "They will be from now on, though."

"I need to tell the others what a smitten fool you are," she said after a moment of silence and all Izou could do was groan because he knew this would happen, but somehow it wasn't too bad. Thatch seemed to like him back and that was all he chose to focus on at the moment.

"I can't help it, he's cute," Izou said and she laughed at him, making several heads turn, including those of the rest of the guard and Izou knew there was no avoiding talking about it now. Still, it wasn't all that bad either.


End file.
